


Fire and Gasoline

by sparkinside (boomersoonerash)



Series: Twelve Days of Ficmas [12]
Category: Hanson (Band), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: 2010s, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - No Zombies, Breakfast, Community: comment_fic, F/M, First Meetings, Gift Fic, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Insults, Mornings, Prompt Fic, Tension, Unresolved Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 05:43:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9058171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: Avery and Daryl meet for the first time and it isn't nice.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Leni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/gifts).



> Day 12 of my 12 days of ficmas.  
> Merry Christmas everyone :)  
> Prompt taken from comment_fic on lj: any crossover. any. first meeting.

May 2011

Avery awoke in a bed that at first was unfamiliar to her. But as she blinked her eyes things began to fall into place for her.

The argument she had, had last night with her boyfriend Shane and how eventually the argument had turned physical. To the point where he had slapped her around a few times and shoved her into a wall. But of course she hadn't called the cops.

What good would that have done to call the cops? Shane was on the police force and she doubted they would have believed her anyway.

Instead she had called her sister Jessica once she had ran out of the house she shared with Shane and Jessica had came to pick her up. Offering to bring her to her boyfriends trailer because Jessica suspected that if Shane kept good on his threats to come looking for her that he'd go by their parents and all of her siblings houses first before checking anywhere else.

That and her boyfriend lived in the next county over so she was sort of hoping that Shane wouldn't go that far to find Avery. That he'd be okay once it seemed Avery wasn't hiding out at any of her family's houses and he'd just leave it be.

Avery on the other hand wasn't so optimistic that it would work that way but it was what it was for now and at least for a few days she'd be away from Shane.

A man who she still loved and a man who up until yesterday she had thought loved her too but then he had put his hands on her for the first time and called her names and said things he had never said. Like how she was worthless and no one would want her but him and how could that be love?

It didn't seem like love and yet Shane still swore as she was running out of the house that he loved her and he'd always find her no matter what.

Shaking her head with a frown she moved to get up from the bed, heading out into the living room where she came to a stop when she saw a man who hadn't been here last night when she arrived sitting on the couch and as she paused the man looked up at her curiously.

As if he was taking her in and Avery almost wanted to look away because she was sure she had a black eye and a few bruises on her face.

"You the woman Merle brought home last night?" the man asked a little rough. "The woman he gave my bed too?"

Looking down as the man spoke, Avery felt her cheeks heating up. "It wasn't...I..." she started unsure of what to say but the man on the couch interrupted her.

"You don't need to explain yourself," he spat out harshly which made Avery look back at him. "You're one of Merle's whores who got roughed up by a john," he stated as if he had made up his mind and Avery frowned softly.

She knew what kind of man Merle was. Usually on her good days she didn't like Merle but since he had willingly let Avery stay in his trailer she was trying to think of him differently right now.

"And you're his asshole baby brother?" Avery questioned her words coming out just as harsh because she hadn't liked being called a whore or thought of as a prostitute. "The one who was off fucking a whore when I came here?" she asked knowing Merle had made some comment about how he was probably off with Carol, the woman he had bought for the night.

Watching as the man narrowed his eyes at her, Avery almost expected him to lunge across the couch and come at her much like Shane had last night and maybe if he did she'd deserve it. Like she had probably deserved what Shane had done too.

If only she could learn to keep her mouth shut.

"It wasn't like that," the man spoke as he kept his gaze on Avery. "Carol's not...she's a friend," he shrugged.

"And I'm not a whore," Avery shot back as she shook her head. "Maybe you should think before judging," she muttered under her breath before walking away from him and heading into the kitchen to see if Merle had anything to eat.

She was hungry and maybe she could also find something to fix to thank Merle for his kindness in letting her stay. Though she'd let his brother starve for being such an asshole.

That seemed fair in her opinion she thought.

Going to the fridge once she was in the kitchen, Avery found a carton of fresh eggs as well some other stuff. Enough that she could make omelets and sausage and she hoped that was okay with Merle. That he liked omelets and sausage.

Shane had always liked them. Said it was the best thing she had fixed and fuck she hated that she kept thinking of him right now. She should be hating Shane not thinking of him so fondly after he had beat her last night and said rude things to her.

Made her feel so low about herself, something she still felt hours later. Just like she was now thinking that maybe he was right when he said it had been her fault.

Avery shouldn't have went off on him for the fact that she had found proof that he was cheating on her with his partner's wife.

She should have kept her mouth shut and pretended she had never found those texts. She shouldn't have even found them and then things would be okay. Avery wouldn't have made Shane mad at her and she wouldn't have to be hiding out from him.

A man who she was sure she wanted to marry one day, even if she was only twenty and he was in his mid-thirties.

***

After she had finished making the omelets, Avery paused in the kitchen doorway, listening as Merle who was now awake was in the living room explaining to his brother whom he had called Daryl, the real situation. That Avery wasn't some whore he knew but that she was just a woman who was hiding from her abusive prick of a boyfriend.

Though Avery almost hated Shane being called that. One time didn't make him abusive. It just meant he had made a mistake and everyone made mistakes didn't they?

Shaking her head softly, Avery took a deep breath and headed into the living room where she cleared her throat to announce her presence.

"I made breakfast," she told both men once she had their attention. "Just simple omelets but I wanted to say thank you for letting me stay here for awhile."

Merle smiled at her words before looking over at Daryl, "See Darylina," he muttered out sarcastically. "There may be some positives about letting ole Avery stay here after all," he said as he walked to Avery and slung an arm around her shoulder. "She'll cook us some real meals instead of that nasty take out shit you like all the time."

Avery forced a smile at Merle's words and actions. Wanting to tell him that she didn't plan on cooking all the time but maybe that was best left for another time. Just like she wanted to tell him she didn't intend to stay here for long either.

She'd stay until hopefully Shane called and apologized instead of trying to find her like some stalker would. Or she'd stay until she felt safe enough to go back with Shane.

They were both options she knew Jessica nor the rest of her family would like even though up until yesterday the rest of her family had loved Shane, despite the age difference. He was everything they wanted when it came to her finding a man.

Unlike Jessica whose choice they severely disapproved of. But after last night she was sure they probably disapproved of Shane too.

But maybe they would hopefully see he had messed up and with some time apart he could come to his senses and be the man she loved again and the man they approved of.

"Yeah I'll cook some real meals," Avery halfheartedly agreed with Merle and her words must have been enough to pacify him. Enough that he was unable to tell she was lying because he moved away and headed into the kitchen, beckoning Daryl to come and join him before the food got cold.

But Daryl made no move to go and join Merle. Instead he just eyed Avery down and she half doubted she'd get an apology for being mistaken for a whore whose pimp was mad at her.

"How long til you plan on going back to the asshole who did that?" Daryl asked as he crossed his arms. "I mean I know women like you. You'll go back."

"Women like me?" Avery asked feeling insulted that clearly even though he now knew she wasn't a prostitute that he still thought so lowly of her.

Daryl nodded his head as he kept his arms crossed, "Women who give assholes like your boyfriend second chances every time they say every nice word known to man," he spoke as he locked eyes with Avery. "Until the next time they hit ya' then you're going to have to run away again."

"It's not..." Avery started but again Daryl interrupted her.

"It is like that, no matter what you say," Daryl sighed as he uncrossed his arms. "Just can't believe Merle would let himself get talked into us baby-sitting you until you decide to take your boyfriend back," he finished before leaving the room and Avery just stayed in her spot.

Feeling even more insulted with the baby-sitting comment because she was no child. She was an adult at twenty almost twenty-one and she was also glad that soon hopefully she could go back to Shane who she knew wouldn't hit her again.

He did love her she believed....maybe. He wouldn't hurt her again if she just kept her mouth shut next time. Then he wouldn't get angry with her and have to hit her. Have to show Avery how mad she had made him.

Rolling her eyes, Avery turned finally and headed into the kitchen. Dreading her stay here at the trailer already, mainly because of Daryl. Because in the end it didn't matter how short it was. She'd still never get along with the younger Dixon it seemed.

They were just like fire and gasoline and not good for each other whatsoever. So in the end she was sure she'd really be glad whenever Shane did come calling for her.

Then she'd be away from Daryl and everything in her world would be okay again. She could forget she had ever even met Merle's brother. Hopefully.


End file.
